Method for generating a time table for sensors

Abstract

A method for generating a time table determines the data exchange times between a control unit and wireless sensors in a vehicle, which includes said control unit. The wireless sensors detect properties of components of the vehicle and/or surrounding parameters, and carrying out data exchange with the control unit by establishing a wireless connection with at least one wireless port provided in the control unit. The method can include calculating the data exchange periods and/or the data exchange durations between each sensor and the control unit; generating a time table having an adjustable table length according to the data exchange periods and/or data exchange durations; splitting the time table into subunits according to the data exchange periods and/or data exchange durations; and entering the times at which each sensor performs data exchange with the control unit into the table according to a predefined priority order.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for generating a time table determining data exchange times between at least one control unit and at least two wireless sensors in a vehicle which comprises the steps of: said at least one control unit controlling functioning of the vehicle; and said at least two wireless sensors detecting properties of components of the vehicle and/or surrounding parameters, and carrying out data exchange with the control unit by establishing a wireless connection with at least one wireless port provided in the control unit; calculating, by the control unit, data exchange periods and/or data exchange durations between each of the at least two sensors and the control unit; generating, by the control unit a time table having an adjustable table length according to the calculated data exchange periods and/or predetermined data exchange periods and/or the calculated data exchange durations; splitting, by the control unit, the time table into subunits according to the calculated data exchange periods and/or the predetermined data exchange periods and/or the calculated data exchange durations; and entering, by the control unit, times at which each of said at least two sensors is to perform data exchange with the control unit into the table according to a predefined order of priority, the predefined order of priority being calculated based on the calculated data exchange periods and/or the calculated data exchange durations of each of the at least two respective sensors wherein the predefined order of priority is such that a sensor having a shortest data exchange period is prioritized first in the time table and a sensor having the longest data exchange period is prioritized last in the time table. 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the adjustable table length of the time table is determined, by the control unit, to be equal to a data transmission period of a sensor having a longest data transmission period. 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the adjustable table length of the time table is determined, by the control unit, to be equal to a least common multiple of the data exchange period of each sensor with the control unit. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a subunit length of each subunit of the time table is equal. 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the subunit length of each subunit is determined, by the control unit, to be equal to a data transmission period of a sensor having the shortest data transmission period. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the subunit length of each subunit is determined, by the control unit, to be equal to a greatest common divisor of a data exchange period of each of the at least two sensors. 
     
     
       7. A method for generating a time table determining data exchange times between at least one control unit and at least two wireless sensors in a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of: said at least one control unit controlling functioning of the vehicle; and said at least two wireless sensors detecting properties of components of the vehicle and/or surrounding parameters, and carrying out data exchange with the control unit by establishing a wireless connection with at least one wireless port provided in the control unit; calculating, by the control unit, data exchange periods and/or data exchange durations between each of the at least two sensors and the control unit; generating, by the control unit a time table having an adjustable table length according to the calculated data exchange periods and/or predetermined data exchange periods and/or the calculated data exchange durations; splitting, by the control unit, the time table into subunits according to the calculated data exchange periods and/or the predetermined data exchange periods and/or the calculated data exchange durations; and entering, by the control unit, times at which each of said at least two sensors is to perform data exchange with the control unit into the table according to a predefined order of priority, the predefined order of priority being calculated based on the calculated data exchange periods and/or the calculated data exchange durations of each of the at least two respective sensors, wherein during the step of entering the times at which each sensor is to perform data exchange with the control unit into the table according to a predefined order of priority, each sensor is placed to that subunit first which has the greatest time gap in the table. 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 1  further comprising the steps of
 measuring, by the control unit, the data exchange periods and the data exchange durations of each of the at least two sensors in a periodic manner, and 
 updating the time table according to the measured data exchange periods or data exchange durations of each of the at least two sensors. 
 
     
     
       9. A method for generating a time table determining data exchange times between at least two control units and at least two wireless sensors in a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of: said at least two control units controlling functioning of the vehicle; and said at least two wireless sensors detecting properties of components of the vehicle and/or surrounding parameters, and carrying out data exchange with the at least two control units by establishing a wireless connection with at least one wireless port provided in each of the at least two control units; calculating, by at least one of the at least two control units, data exchange periods and/or data exchange durations between each of the at least two sensors and the at least two control units; generating, by at least one of the at least two control units a time table having an adjustable table length according to the calculated data exchange periods and/or predetermined data exchange periods and/or the calculated data exchange durations; splitting, by at least one of the at least two control units, the time table into subunits according to the calculated data exchange periods and/or the predetermined data exchange periods and/or the calculated data exchange durations; and entering, by at least one of the at least two control units, times at which each of said at least two sensors is to perform data exchange with the at least two control units into the table according to a predefined order of priority, the predefined order of priority being calculated based on the calculated data exchange periods and/or the calculated data exchange durations of each of the at least two respective sensors, and calculating, by at least one of the at least two control units, synchronous and consecutive data exchange durations of the at least two sensors making consecutive data exchanges with the at least two control units with which the at least two sensors are in wireless communication. 
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 9 , wherein if the synchronous and consecutive data exchange durations of said at least two sensors with the at least two control units with which they are in wireless communication is shorter than their consecutive data exchange durations, the at least two sensors perform a synchronous data exchange with the at least two control units. 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 9 , wherein if the synchronous data exchange durations of said at least two sensors with the at least two control units with which they are in wireless communication is longer than their consecutive data exchange durations, the at least two sensors perform a consecutive data exchange with the at least two control units.